The majority of consumers in the workforce today are unaware of several of the labor laws available for their protection. This is mainly because these labor laws are not taught in public schools, nor are they usually discussed during the initial job training session. While federal law states that all employers must post posters regarding their workers’ rights, not everyone takes the time to read these posters and discover the protection they are offered regarding labor and employment laws. That being the case, I’ve taken some time to gather together some labor laws that many employees may know nothing of.

First, it’s important to recognize the difference between state and federal labor laws. Federal labor laws apply to all states while state labor laws may differ from state to state. Therefore, if you would like specific legal advice for the state of Texas, it would be wise to get a hold of a Houston labor attorney to discuss with you the protection provided by the state. If you are interested in learning the federal labor laws, a Houston labor lawyer would still be able to help as the federal labor laws applies the same to all states.

Since it is very likely that many people reading this post are from varying states, I’m going to concentrate on federal labor laws. The first law is one that everyone is entitled to know but not everyone is aware of. It’s The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. While this act is becoming more and more well-known, not everyone has heard about it. It’s an important law because it protects the rights of employees to have as many as 12 weeks of medical leave each year without jeopardizing their position or group health benefits in case of a family medical situation.

Something else that every worker has the right to know about is The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. As its name suggests, it has been around quite a while but again, not everyone is aware of the protection it offers. This specific law handles the regulated pay requirements regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, equal pay and child labor. What is incredibly useful about this law is that it protects the rights of workers who report any employer that is in violation with this act. Indeed, it is definitely a useful law and one that everyone should know about.

Other labor laws that every employee should be made aware of would include the discrimination laws-many of which can be found in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Over the years, there have been several additions to the discrimination laws. While there are quite a few different discrimination laws, they basically prevent employers from discriminating against anyone who is employed or looking to be employed based on several specific factors. For instance, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against anyone because of their national origin, race, age, religion, disability, gender or genetics.

The fact of the matter is that there are several laws out there, both state and federal, that can protect employees against all different kinds of situations. If there is a condition at your place of work that you find unfair or that makes you feel uncomfortable, consult your legal professional about it. Chances are there are some protective labor laws that may solve any issues that both you may be dealing with.

This article is written by a guest author, Ryan Chaffin. The views expressed in this article are the views of the guest author. This blog may or may not hold the same views.